Tire-chain tool



Feb. 14, 1928. 1,658,995

J. N. MACDONALD TIRE CHAIN. TOOL Filed April 2 1925' hlmMMaaDonaldPatented Feb. 14, 1928;

* uNi EosrA JOHN N. MAonoNALn, or warns-Resistingoonnnorrcur, ASSIGNORronnnRYsrr- PIERRE, or wononsrnn, MAssAonUsErTs.

'rrnn onnriv TOOL;

Application filedA p ril 27/1925 Serial No. 26,234. i

i This invention relates to automobile tire chain tools, andpartlcularly to a tool for enino' the end hooksof the cross chains whenit desired to replace a section of chain, and for closing the end hookswhen the operation is completed.

My present invention involves certain im,

provements in the construction and positioning of the bills of the awmembers which 10 are of advantage when opening and closing the'end hooksor links, and aconstructionof the inner faces or'olfsets'of theijaws sothat the parallel pairs of books regardless of- 1 their diameter, areheld in rigid and true vertical pos1t1onwhen'1t1s desired to 00111 pressand close them.

Many tools for this general purpose have heretofore been produced, butthey have all. so far as I am aware, been provided with hills whichoverlapped at the extreme end of the jaws,.and did not furnish any meansof holding the hook fjstraight, while being opened, other than thatprovidedby the bills themselves. As will'be readily appreciated,

this frequently resulted in the distortion of the hook, making itdilflcult to neatly and completely close the same when the exchange ofparts was effected; Nor, so far as Iam aware, has there beenheretoforeproduced a I an tool which might successfully vbe used with differentsize hooks and maintain the pairs in'true vertical position whilecompressing and forcing themtogether to close the hooks. The hooks inall automobile chains when closed are circular in shape and the convexsurface on the inner face of the jaw of my device makes it possible touse one tool for closing any hook regardless of its diameter.

While retaining all the advantages of the- 40 overlying jaw type ofdevice, I arrange my wedging beaks or bills in opposed relation,spac'edfrom the jaw ends, and adapted to pass and overlap each other,the extreme end of each beak entering a recess formed in the metal onthe inner face of the opposing member.- Theinner faces of the jawsbeyond the beaks constitute shoulders which may, if desired, be forcedtogether upon a hook to close the same, each side singly or 5 both atone time, depending on the depth of shoulder. These shoulders, however,more successfully close the hooks one member at a time. My jaw membersjust inwardly of the of which is curved to provide a convex,sur-

face which tends to keep the links in'vertical alinemen't and centeredas the jaws close upon them, hooks of small diameter being held betweenthemore convex surfacefportionof one jaw and the opposing jawnear thecenter of the closmg area, and hooks of larger diameter beingaccommodated by "the lessv convex surface near the outer edges of thearea. It will thus be seen that thedistortionand spreading which sofrequently occurs areavoided by the use of my device, regardless of thesize hook being worked upon, Thus my tool as shown is provided with twoclosing areas'either of'which may be used as desired, orthe toolmay bemade with but one of these closing areas.

In the drawings I have shown a form of any device which Ihave foundwelladapted to practical use and which well illustrates the principlesinvolved in my invention.

Throughout the specification and. drawings, like referencenumeralsl areused to indicate corresponding parts, andin thedrawngs: 5

Fig. 1 is a view of mychain toolfin substantially. closed tion of parts.4 "Fig.2 shows the jaws of the toolworking upona pair of chain hooks toopen the same. iigz-S shows the tool in use to reclose a hook.

Fig.2 4 isan end view showing the interlocking relation of the members,

-My tool comprises a pair of unitary crossedhandle members 1 and 2pivotedat 3. Each member at its operating end isprovided with jaws 4.having beaks 5, which as shown may be of substantially triangularconstruction, slightly spaced from the extreme ends 60f the'jaws so thatbetween each beak 5 and the end 6 ofthe jaw 4 is provided an inwardlyfacing bearing surface l for the hooker link H which may be worked upon,these oppositelydisposed bearing surfaces tending to hold the hook inhorizontal position so that the beaks may enter and expand the same, andserving to prevent relative movement of the link on the beaks as thebeaks are pressed towards each other to open the link, these sameshoulders, if desired, maybe used as closing members for the hook H, inwhich case one half of the hook may be inserted between the shouldersand pressure applied to the handle members position showing the relahavea double function in the use of the tool. I

I same manner. shoulders? are deep enough it is obvious that to @1538,the hook. The other haltof the hook may then beiinserted and closed inthe If the bearing surfaces or both portions of the hook maybe closedsimultaneously. The shoulders 7, therefore,

In opening a hook, these shoulders serve as abutments against oneor theother of which.

the hook may bear while it is being spread by t-hewedge formed beaks 5.In closing a hookrth'ese shoulders may, if desired, be used as theclosing aws themselves,the hook resting; lightly on the beaks 5.

The beaks 5 are offsettopermit overlapping of one upon the other, and tothe rear of each oftsetysurface is provided, a recess 8 intowhich entersthe extreme ends of the beaks 5 when the tool 15110111111156, or when itma ,be openin a hookorlink andth'e beaks have entered and crossedtherein,

Between the pivots 3 and thebottom of thebeaksb the aws 4 are shaped toform a recess 8 the walls of which are adapted, to

close upon and compress the hook intoclosed position; One of the jaws isformed a convex surface?) which provides a centering bearing for thehook H when being: compressed and thus tends to keep the parallel hooksin "vertical alignment as the jaywsclose upont-hem. The more convexportion of the surface provides a bearing for hooks of comparativelysmall diameter and hooks of gradually increasingsize find bearing on theouter edges of the closing recess 21CCOlCl1Dg t() their diameter. Thisproperly seats the hooks with respect to the walls of the jaws.

Various other modifications in the method for practicing my invention;may obviously "be resorted to within the limits; of the appended claims.V

What I therefore claim and desire toseoureuby Letters Patent is:

1. A tire chain tool comprising a pair of pivotally crossed jaw membersterminating at. their operating ends in inwardly facing oppositelydisposed bearing portions,'a pair of overlappii wedge shaped beaksonsaid jaw members adapted to, open the end hooksof a tirechain, andbearing surface in wardly of said beaks to provide bearing for.

said end hook in closing. the same 3; Atire. chain: tool compris ng a par of pivotally crossed jaw members terminating. attheirfoperating ends1n inwardly facing oppositely disposed bearing portions, said jawmembers inwardly of said bearing portions having overlapping oppositelydisposed wedging, beaks, receiving recesses onsaid jaw, members adaptedto receive said wedging heaks, said bearing portions constitutingshoulder abutments adapted to bear aga nst: and closetheihooked ends ofa hook support- 7 ed on said beaks when the jaw members are pushedtowards each other, and sai l jaw members inwardly of said wedging beaksbeing disposed to form a pair of hook closingjaw. surfaces disposed incooperative relation, one vof said surfaces being convex longitudinallyof the jaw to provide bearing for hooks of varying diameter to beworked, upon.

Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature;

JOHN N. MACDONALD.

